How to Look for a Job in Dubai When You are on a Visit Visa?

Professionals across the world are attracted to take up jobs in Dubai. And why not? There are ample reasons to support that aspiration. The never-ending demand for skilled labor, lucrative compensation packages, tax-free income and a luxurious lifestyle makes Dubai one of the most sought after job destinations across the globe. Thousands of professionals each year come to the city to embark upon a journey of making a fulfilling career for themselves. Although it is possible to find a job in Dubai from one’s native country, most job seekers prefer to visit the country first. It helps them get familiar with the Middle Eastern culture and understand the professional environment of the city better.

One of the best ways to look for a job in Dubai is to do so while visiting the city on a visit visa. This article will talk about the various aspects of visit visa and how one can utilize it for finding work in the city. Have a look:

What is a Visit Visa?

A visit visa is an entry permit that allows a person wishing to visit the United Arab Emirates enter the country. A sponsorship of a UAE resident or a company or any hotel licensed to operate in the UAE is required to apply for a visit visa. The visa has a validity of 60 days from the date of issue. If the visa holder fails to enter the UAE within this time frame, s/he has to submit a new visit visa application and follow the process again. There are three types of visit visas:

– Short-term Visit Visa: Visa holders can stay for 30 days in the country from the date of arrival. This cannot be renewed.

– Long-term Visit Visa: Visa holders can stay for 90 days in the country from the date of arrival. This cannot be renewed.

– Multiple Entry Visit Visa: It is valid for 6 months. However, the multiple entry visit visa holder can only stay for 14 days within the country after arrival. Also, the application process requires the applicant to enter the UAE initially on a single entry visit visa. After entering the country within the first 5 days, the person can apply for a multiple entry visit visa.

Those who wish to work in Dubai can apply for a short-term visit visa as 30 days are usually enough for finding a job in the city.

Things You Should Know About Visit Visa

a. Visit visa holders must exit the country before or on the expiry date of their visa. Otherwise, they will be required to pay the penalty for overstaying in the country which is calculated on the basis of each day the person overstays.

b. Once the visitor has exited the UAE, s/he has to stay 30 days outside the country before re-applying for a new visit visa.

c. Citizens of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain do not require any kind of visa to enter the UAE.

d. Residents of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain are eligible for obtaining a 30-day visit visa upon arrival in the country. However, the visa will be non-renewable.

e. Citizens of the following 33 countries do not require sponsorship from UAE residents, company, hotel, or travel agency, for obtaining a visit visa–

Andorra

Hong Kong

Norway

Australia

Iceland

Portugal

Austria

Ireland

San Marino

Belgium

Italy

Singapore

Brunei

Japan

South Korea

Canada

Liechtenstein

Spain

Denmark

Luxembourg

Sweden

Finland

Malaysia

Switzerland

France

Monaco

United Kingdom

Germany

Netherlands

USA

Greece

New Zealand

Vatican

f. It is illegal to work in Dubai or any other state of the UAE on a visit visa. To work in the UAE, a valid employment visa is needed. If someone is caught working on a visit visa, s/he may be fined, jailed, deported or even blacklisted permanently from the country.

Note – Indian nationals with a valid US visa or a green card will get a visa on arrival in the UAE valid for 14 days and extendable to up to 14 days for one time only.

Searching For a Job in Dubai While On Visit Visa

1. Start your job search early:

Ideally, you should begin searching for a job, way before visiting Dubai. Once you enter the city on visit visa, you will have around 30 days to find a job before flying back to your home country. Prepare thoroughly to avoid making any mistake while job hunting in Dubai. Start with researching the job market of your preferred industry in Dubai. Next, make a list of all the companies you wish to apply for a job at and start sending out your job applications.

2. Get the timing right:

Although hiring in Dubai happens all round the year, it is still advisable to decide upon an ideal time to visit the country for finding work. Avoid visiting during summers as the temperatures go as high as 50 degrees. So, avoid visiting the city during summers as it will get difficult for you to commute between interview venues during the day. Also, most hiring managers and employers fly to cold destinations for vacations to avoid the Middle Eastern summers.

3. Prepare a professional CV and cover letter:

Cover letters and CVs are very important. Since you are investing a lot of time, money and effort into visiting Dubai for finding work, it only makes sense to take a professional’s help in creating a killer CV and cover letter for your job search. It will help you attract the attention of the employers and increase your chances of getting called for the interviews.

4. Set a daily target:

Whether you are searching for a job from your home country or on your visit to Dubai, set a daily target for yourself. Decide how many jobs you will apply to in a day and make it a point to follow through it. And by applying we do not simply mean e-mailing your CV to the employers. Take some time to read each job description carefully and customize your CV and cover letter to match the employer’s requirements before hitting the send button.

5. Attend as many walk-in interviews as possible:

Once you enter the city, try and attend as many walk-in interviews as possible. For this, you will have to gather the information about walk-in interviews before entering the city. You can take help from job portals such as Naukrigulf.com to know about companies currently hiring in Dubai.

6. Take help from your professional network:

Networking is the most effective way of finding work in Dubai. Most employers prefer hiring candidates that have been referred by their internal staff. Therefore, spread the word in your professional network about your intentions of working in Dubai. You never know when somebody from your network may approach you with a job opportunity.

7. Follow up properly:

Follow-ups are tricky but they are crucial for landing a job in Dubai. The best way to approach this is by asking the interviewer by when you can expect to hear about their final decision. Tell them the date till which you are available in the city and would appreciate if they can inform you before you leave. You can read about effective follow-up tips here.

If you plan out your job search well, you will definitely succeed in landing a job in Dubai.

About Megha Raizada

Megha Raizada is a professional writer with a keen interest in the global job market. She loves to keep a track of everything interesting happening around the globe. When not writing or browsing the Internet, you will find her creating furniture out of used tires.